Hydroplane boat.



W. H. PAUBER. HYDROPLANE BOAT. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1908.

Patented Sept. 27, 1910.

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HYDROPLANE BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1908.

9?1 @2@ Patented Sept. 27, 1910.

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WILLIAM HENRY FAUBER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HYDROPLANE BOAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patenteolsept. 2?, 191.0.

Application filed September 10, 1908. Serial No. 452,456. 7

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, WILLIAM H. FAUBnR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Hydroplane Boats; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of water craft, known as hydrawings, in which Figure 1 is a view, as seen from beneath, of the hull of a boat embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the boat. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the same taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fi 4 is a cross-section of the same taken on ine H of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a cross-secti n of the same taken on line 55 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the boat, showing a modified construction of the hydroplane members. Fig. .7 is a cross section taken upon line 7 7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a cross section taken upon line 88 0 Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a cross section taken upon line 99 of Fig. 6.

As shown in said drawings, 5 indicates the hull of the boat which, as illustrated, is generally similar in shape to the hull of boats as at present constructed, having a long pointed bow, with its greatest beam at a point about midway of its length and from such point tapering forwardly to the bow and rearwardly to the stern.

The bottom of the hull 5 is provided with a plurality of hydroplane members 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13, which extend transversely of the hull and each of which is gins of said hydroplane members.

downwardly inclined from front to rear. The rear margin of each of said hydroplane members is joined to the forward margin of the one at the rear of it by a vertical shoulder or wall 14 extending transversely of the hull so that the several hydroplane members, together with the walls 14, 14 constitute the entire bottom, or bottom wall, of the hull of the boat. The side margins of said hydroplane members extend to and are substantially flush with the side walls 15, 15 of the hull, which latter extend downwardly to and are attached to the side mar- Said side walls 15, 15 of the hull are nearly upright and converge forwardly from the point at which the hull has its greatest beam to the pointed bow and rearwardly to the stern and, because of the fact that the side margins of the several hydroplane members terminate at their side edges flush with said side walls, as hereinbefore stated, said hydroplane members are wider from the bow toward the point of greatest beam "and from that point rearwardly are gradually narrower. In other words, the side margins of the several hydroplane members conform generally to the contour of the sides of the hull.

The several hydroplane members are not only" rearwardly and downwardly inclined, as above stated, but are also inclined laterally from their side margins downwardly progressively from the bow to the stern of the boat. Such lateral inclination in the case of the forward hydroplane member 6 is very slight, as seen in Fig. 3, so that the same is nearly flat, while the lateral inclination of the rearmost hydroplane member 13, as seen in Fig. 5, is considerable, and very much greater than that of the said forward hydroplane member. The said several hydroplane members are, moreover, so arranged that, with respect to a horizontal plane, or to the water line when the hull is supported by flotation, the rear margin of each hydroplane member is at a lower level than that of the one in advance of it, so that, as a whole, the several hydroplane members will be deeper, or have a progressively greater depth of submersion, from the bow toward the stern, while the forward hydroplane member, or that beneath the bow, is so arranged with respect to the line of flotation of the hull that the same will run on top of the Water, or at a very shallow depth.

The uprightwalls or shoulders lc'at the rear margins of each hydroplane member, by which the lower, rear end of each hydroplane member is joined to the elevated, forward end of the hydroplane'member at the rear of it, are generally of V-shape as seen in plan view and have their lateral parts inclined inwardly and rearwardly from the sides of the hull to the longitudinal center, or keel line, of the hull; the inclined parts of the said walls or shoulders meeting at an apex or angle which is directed rearwardly or toward the stern of the boat.

As preferably constructed, and shown in Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings, the laterally inclined side portions 'of each hydroplane member have downwardly facing concave surfaces, or, in other words, each hydroplane member is at its part adjacent to its side margin approximately horizontal, while its inclination gradually increases as it approaches the center, or keel line, of the hull,

so that the inclination of the said portions is greatest where the same meet at said keel line. l/Vhile this concave construction or concave form in the hydroplane members, is

preferred by reasons hereinafter stated, yetso far as general results are concerned the same may be flat, as illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, and hereinafter described.

The boat illustrated is shown as provided with a propeller 17 and also with a steering rudder 18, which may be of any suitable construction. The boat shown in the drawing is, moreover, provided at its forward part with a longitudinally arranged keel 16 which is arranged centrally of the hull between the adjacent margins of the downwardly inclined, lateral portions of the hydroplane members. Said keel is employed for keeping the boat in a straight course and preventing it from being laterally displaced when it encounters swells or waves at an angle.

From the above description of the hydrolane members it will be manifest that the ottom of the hull of the boat, taken as a whole, is deeper at its longitudinal center than at its sides, so that in cross section it is of V-shape with its angle directed downwardly, while the V-shaped bottom is deeper at the stern than at the bow and is of gradually increasing depth from front to rear; the angle ofinclination of the side portions of the bottom, at either side of the keel line or longitudinal center of the hull, gradually increasing from the bow toward the stern, so that the angle or apex of the V-shaped bottomis at a gradually increasing depth, or at a gradually increasing vertical distance below the lower margins of the side walls of the hull, from the bow toward the stern of the boat.

The advantages gained by the construction described in the hull of the boat may be understool from the following: I have found that fiat, transverse hydroplane surfaces have greater sustaining power at the center than at the sides thereof for the reason that the water escapes more quickly near the outer lateral edges of such hydroplane surfaces. The result is that a boat having flat hydroplane surfaces rides in elfect on a ridge of Water and is therefore lacking in stability. Such lack of stability is especially manifest in rough or disturbed Water. Moreover, a boat provided with hydroplane members of transversely fiat form are found not to respond promptly and accurately to the steering mechanism. By making the hull of the boat with its bottom of V-shape, as described, the objections stated are largely avoided and a hydroplane boat is produced which is capable of successful use under conditions of high winds and in seas more or less rough or disturbed, while at the same time greater stability and increased carrying power is given and the boat will respond more promptly to the steering mechanism. Moreover, the making of the V-shaped bottom with its side por'tlons at greater inclination at the stern thanat the bow of the boat, affords the advantage of enabling the boat at high speed to carry a part of theload by displacement.

The greater stability afforded by making the hydroplane members of transversely V- shape, is due to the incrased area of displacement at the low side of the hull when the boat is laterally inclined, which affords a self righting action, due to the fact that the hydroplane surfaces at the low side of the hull will be deeper in the water and have thereon a greater sustaining pressure than that exerted'on the surfaces of greater inclination at the high side of the hull.

An important advantage is gained by so constructing the bottom of the boat that the several hydroplane members will be at gradually increasing distances from bow to stern, below a horizontal line, or the line of flotation when the boat is supported by displace ment, for 'the reason that the hull is thereby alapted to carry a part of the load by displacement even at relatively high speeds; it being found that, up to certain speeds, a boat moves with lessexpendi'ture of power as a displacement boat. An advantage is gained by making the V-shaped bottom of the hull of gradually increasing lateral inclination, and consequent depths of its cenmnoae teror keel line below 'the lateral margins of the bottom, for a like reason, it being obvious that, while the flatter, forward part of the bottom will tend to rise above and ride over the surface of the water, the more 6, or of the member 7 (depending on the load and s eed) will strike the water, and, owing to the shape of the bottom, the submerged area of the hull will gradually increase in width and depth from the bow toward the stern. As the speed increases, the displacement becomes less, so that the boat automatically regulates its own depth or degree of dis lacement. Under all conditions, however, t estability is increased, because of the constant immersion of the deeper part of the hull at the center line of the bottom at the rear part thereof, while the transversely V-shaped hydroplanes make a pathway in the water, which prevents the boat pounding when encountering heavy waves. The flat, or substantially flat, forward hydroplane member in connection with the pointed form of bow, has the effect that, when the waves or heavy swells are encountered, the bow will divide the crests of the waves, and the forward, nearly flat hydroplane member will tend to counteract the lateral displacement, or deflection of the water sidewise, and consequently offer a greater sustaining power than would a hydroplane member of a pronounced angular incllnation, which, as is well known, would operate to increase such lateral deflection of the water. Moreover, so far as the rear part of the boat is concerned, the loss of sustaining power due to the tendency of the rear hydroplane member to displace the water sidewise, is overcome by the greater depth of the'rear part of the V-shaped hull, which, by reason of its deeper immersion in the wateracts to support the rear part of the hullby displacement.

The making of the lateral parts of the hydroplane members of concave shape has the advantage of affording greater sustaining power than is obtained by the use of V- shaped members having flat lateral surfaces. A hull of convex shape tends to displace the water radially, and is suitable for displacement boats, but the object of the hydroplane member is to lift the boat above the Water and this result is better attained by a concave surface, because the pressure of all parts of such concave surface is exerted on I the water in lines at right angles to the surface, and as these lines are, generally speaking, radial to the center point of a circular arc corresponding with the curvature of the concave surface, 1t follows that the pressure of the inner and outer parts of the concave hydroplane member on the water will tend to prevent outward displacement of the water, and thereby afford a more solid body of water to sustain the boat.

The concave form of the hydroplane member also promotes stability, because giving a self-righting action due to the greater sustaining pressure of the water confined beneath the concave lateral part of the hydroplane member which is deepest in the water at the low side of the boat.

An advantage gained by making the rear margins of the hydroplane members of V- form, with their pointsdirected toward the rear, is that a. self-righting action is thereby produced, the obliquity of the rear margins at the sides of the keel line giving a self-righting action, by tending to shift or move the bottom of the hull sidewise in the direction of the low side, thereby swinging the boat about its center of Weight in a manner to maintain the same upright.

The rearwardly pointed V-shape in the rear margins of the hydroplane members also serves to increase the lifting power of the said members, as will appear from the fol lowing: The hydroplane surfaces, at high speed, are in contact with the water only at their rear parts, and in striking the water they tend to impart a downward and forward motion thereto. As a consequence, in the case of hydroplane members having straight, transverse rear edges, the rising of the water into the space at the rear of one hydroplane member is liable to be retarded so that the succeeding member at the rear will have to sink deeper and the whole boa-t take a. more unfavorable angle. When the hydroplane members are transversely inclined or sectionally of V-shape, and are also provided withangular or V-shaped rear edges, as described, the inner and deeper rear angle or point of the V -shaped rear edge of each hydroplane member, as it enters and displaces the water beneath the center line of the hull, forces the water laterally from said center line, and the water so forced laterally rises behind the outer parts of the said V-shaped rear edges, which are in advance of the said rear angle or point, into contact with the forward part of the hydroplane member at the rear of said margin, thereby affording better support for the following hydroplane member. In other words, the water displaced laterally by the deeper rearwardly directed central part or angle of the hydroplane member counteracts'and to an extent neutralizes the downward movement given to the water which the outer parts of the hydroplane members has passed over, because the displaced Water is forced, or tends to rise behind the outer ends or parts of the rearwardly and inwardly inclined rear margins of the hydroplane member, which outer ends are always in advance of said deeper central part or angle. Manifestly the water which is so forced outwardly and rises upwardly behind the rear margin of the hydroplane member, acts upwardly on the following hydroplane members so that a larger area of the latter is in contact with the water and an increased sustaining effect results.

In Figs. 6, 7 8 and 9 of the drawings, I have illustrated a boat having a bottom which is V-shaped in cross-section and each side of which consists of a series of flat hydroplane members having; a uniform lateral inclination. In said Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9, 20 indicates the hull of the boat, provided at its bottom with a plurality of hydro-plane members 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28 ,which are joined to each other by vertical shoulders or walls 29 in the same manner as hereinbefore described.

30 indicates a keel, like that hreeinbefore described and shown in Figs. 1 to 3. In this instance while the lateral inclination of the several hydroplane members are uniform, yet, by reason of the tapered form of the forward portion of the hull, the V- shaped bottom is deeper at the keel line at the middle or wider part of the boat than at the bow. In other words the forward hydroplane members 21, 22, 23, 24: and 25 are of gradually increasing depth at the keel line from the bow toward the stern of the boat.

So far as the tapered, forward portion of the boat is concerned, therefore, the construction illustrated in said Figs. 6 to 9 embodies the same features of construction herinbefore described, that is to say, the bottom of the hull is laterally inclined from its side margins downwardly toward the keel line, and the keel line is at a gradually increasing distance below the said side margins from the bow toward the stern of the boat. In this instance, however, inasmuch as the lateral inclination of all of the hydroplane memhers is the same, the members 26, 27, 28 and 29 adjacent to the stern of the boat, or rearward from the widest portion thereof, are at the keel line at substantially the same distance below the level of the side margins of the bottom as at the middle of the hull.

The modified construction shown in said Figs. 6 to 9, therefore, affords the general result of gradual displacement of the water, increasing in width and depth from the bow toward the stern of the boat, but such gradual displacement takes'place only from the bow rearwardly to the widest part of the hull, instead of throughout the entire length of the hull, as is the case in the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5.

It is to be understood that I have shown and described a preferred construction of parts embodying my invention, and that many changes may be made therein'without departing from the spirit andscope of my invention. I do not, therefore, desire to be limited to the features and details of construction, illustrated and described, except so far as the same are pointed out in the appended claims as constituting parts of my invention.

I claim as my invention 1. A hydroplane boat provided at each side of the center line of the bottom of its hull with a series of hydroplane members which form the flotation surface of the said bottom and are arranged in stepped relation and inclined laterally and downwardly toward the keel line of the boat.

2. A hydroplane boat having a pointed bow and provided at each side of the center line of the bottom of its hull with a series of hydroplane members which form the flotation surface of said bottom and which are arranged in stepped relation, are inclined laterally and downwardly toward the keel line and are of gradually increasing width lfjrom the bow toward the widest part of the oat.

3. A hydroplane boat having a pointed bow and provided at each side of the center line of the bottom of its hull with a series of hydroplane members which form the flotation surface of said bottom, which are arranged in stepped relation, are inclined laterally and downwardly.toward the keel line and are of gradually increasing width from the bow toward the widest part, and are, at said keel line, at gradually increasing distances below theside margins of the bottom from the bow toward the stern of the boat.

4. A hydroplane boat provided at each side of its bottom with a series of hydroplane members, which are arranged in stepped relation and inclined laterally and downwardly toward the keel line, each hydroplane member having a greater lateral inclination at its rear end than the member in advance of it.

5. A hydroplane boat, provided at each side of its bottom with a series of hydroplane mr mbers which are arranged in stepped relation, are inclined laterally and downwardly toward the keel line and the downwardly facing surfaces of which are transversely concaved.

6. A hydroplane boat having a pointed bow and provided at each side of its bottom with a series of hydroplane members which are arranged in stepped relation, are inclined laterally and downwardly toward the keel line and are transversely concaved.

7. A 'hydroplane boat provided at each side of its bottom with a series of hydroplane members, which are arranged in stepped relation and inclined laterally and downwardly toward the keel line, the rear margins of said hydroplane members being oblique and inclined from the side of the boat inwardly and rearwardly toward the keel line.

8. A hydroplane boat provided at each side of its bottom with a series of hydroplane members which are arranged in stepped relation and inclined laterally and downwardly toward the keel line, said hydroplane members being transversely concaved and having their rear margins oblique and inclined from the side of the boat inwardly and rearwardly toward thekeel line.

9. A hydroplane boat having a pointed bow and provided on each side of the center line of the bottom of its hull with a series ofhydroplane members which form the flotation surface of said bottom and which are arranged in stepped relation and are inclined laterally and downwardly toward the keel line, said boat being also provided at its forward part with a keel.

10. A hydroplane boat having a pointed bow and provided on each side of its bottom with a series of hydroplane members, which are arranged in stepped relation, are inclined laterally and downwardly toward the keel line, and are transversely concaved, said boat being also provided at its forward part with a keel.

In testimony,- that I claim the foregoing presence of two witnesses, this 28th day of August A. D. 1908.

' WILLIAM HENRY FAUBER. Witnesses:

M. BEKrNs,

HANSON G. Coxn.

as my invention I affix my signature in the 

